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Diplomat’s driver found dead in car trunk

A wrecker removes the Toyota Fortuner belonging to the Embassy of El Salvador from the area off Warren Road, Cunupia, after the body of Jose Tito Rivas was found in its trunk yesterday.
Photo by:ABRAHAM DIAZ

The body of a worker employed at the Embassy of El Salvador was yesterday found in an agricultural area in Cunupia.

The employee was identified as Jose Tito Rivas, 53. He was the official driver of El Salvador Ambassador Raymundo Ernesto Rodriquez Diaz.

According to a police report, shortly before midday officers of the Cunupia Police Station, acting upon information received, went to an area off Warren Road where they found a blue Toyota Fortuner, licensed PCM 321.

A party of police officers from the Central Division, who reported on the scene shortly thereafter, carried out further checks where they found the body wrapped in a sheet in the trunk of the vehicle.

The body was later positively identified as that of Rivas.

The T&T Guardian was told by investigators that Rivas was last seen leaving the Queen’s Hall compound in Port-of-Spain at about 9 pm on Thursday evening.

Rivas had reportedly took the Ambassador to a diplomatic event—Brazilian National Day celebrations hosted by the Embassy of Brazil—as his final tour of duty that day.

Rivas was eventually reported missing by his wife when he failed to return to his home in Valsayn later that night.

A diplomat at another embassy, who wished not to be identified, expressed sadness and concern at the incident. He also extended condolences to officials at the El Salvador Embassy.